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The American Civil War, Day by Day 1864
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Author:  nsimms [ Fri Jan 03, 2014 9:46 am ]
Post subject:  The American Civil War, Day by Day 1864

January 1, 1864 Friday
Extreme cold swept across much of the North and South and temperatures below zero as far south as Memphis, Tennessee and Cairo, Illinois caused much suffering among the soldiers. The usual New Year’s Day ceremonies took place at both White Houses.

Despite the cold skirmishing broke out at Dandridge, Tennessee; and Bunker Hill, West Virginia. For most of January there was only desultory firing against Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. Until Jan 5 Federal cavalry saw action in Hampshire and Hardy counties, West Virginia and a four-day expedition operated against Confederate guerrillas form Bealeton to Front Royal, Virginia. Throughout January minor operations occurred in northeastern Arkansas with skirmishing at Lunenburg, Sylamore, and Sylamore Creek. Union action against Indians in the Humboldt District of California also continued for much of January. In Tennessee small-scale fighting between pro-Confederate elements and various Federal outposts and garrisons flared on several occasions. The Union Department of Kansas was reestablished as separate from that of Missouri.

U.S.S. Huron, commanded by Lieutenant Commander Francis H. Baker, sank blockade running British schooner Sylvanus in Doboy Sound, Georgia, with cargo of salt, liquor, and cordage.

Author:  nsimms [ Fri Jan 03, 2014 9:48 am ]
Post subject:  Re: The American Civil War, Day by Day 1864

January 2, 1864 Saturday
The Confederate Senate confirmed Sen George Davis of North Carolina as Attorney General, succeeding Wade Keyes, who had served ad interim since September. Davis, formerly a pro-Union Whig, had eventually supported secession. In the New York market the price of gold rose steadily. There was a light skirmish at LaGrange, Tennessee. Off Los Angeles, California Federal troops occupied Santa Catalina Island, driving out squatters and possible smugglers. Commander Robert Townsend reported the seizure of steamer Ben Franklin in the lower Mississippi River "for flagrant violation of the Treasury Regulations."

As the New Year opened, the Union once more focused its attention on Wilmington. Since 1862 the Navy had pressed for a combined assault on this major cast coast port, ideally located for blockade running less than 600 miles from Nassau and only some 675 from Bermuda. Despite the efforts of the fleet, the runners had continued to ply their trade successfully. In the fall of 1863, a British observer reported that thirteen steamers ran into Wilmington between 10 and 29 September and that fourteen ships put to sea between 2 and 19 September. In fact, James Randall, an employee of a Wilmington shipping firm, reported that 397 ships visited Wilmington during the first two and a half to three years of the war. On 2 January, Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles again proposed an attack on the fortifications protecting Wilmington, "the only port by which any supplies whatever reach the rebels. . . ." He suggested to Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton that a joint operation be undertaken to seize Fort Caswell: "The result of such operation is to enable the vessels to lie inside, as is the case at Charleston, thus closing the port effectually." However, Major General Henry W. Halleck advised Stanton that campaigns to which the Army was committed in Louisiana and Texas would not permit the men for the suggested assault to be spared. Thus, although the Navy increasingly felt the need to close Wilmington, the port remained a haven for blockade runners for another year.

Author:  nsimms [ Fri Jan 03, 2014 9:49 am ]
Post subject:  Re: The American Civil War, Day by Day 1864

January 3, 1864 Sunday
Union cavalry entered Jonesville, in southwestern Virginia driving out Confederates ( http://www.bencaudill.com/documents_msc ... ville.html ). However, the Confederates returned and after a severe fight the Federals surrendered over two hundred men. Farther north Federals carried out a reconnaissance from Charles Town, West Virginia to Winchester, Virginia. Another Northern scout operated from Memphis, Tennessee toward Hernando, Mississippi. Maj Gen Francis J. Herron ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_J._Herron ) assumed command of Union forces on the Rio Grande.

U.S.S. Fahkee, with Rear Admiral Samuel P. Lee embarked, sighted steamer Bendigo aground at Lockwood's Folly Inlet, South Carolina. Three boat crews were sent to investigate; after it was discovered that the blockade runner had been partially burned to prevent capture and that there was seven feet of water in the hold, Lee ordered Bendigo destroyed by gunfire from U.S.S. Fort Jackson, Iron Age, Montgomery, Daylight, and Fahkee.

Author:  nsimms [ Fri Jan 03, 2014 9:41 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The American Civil War, Day by Day 1864

January 4, 1864 Monday
A minor affair occurred at Lockwood’s Folly Inlet, North Carolina. For about ten days Federals operated around Sparta, Tennessee.

Author:  nsimms [ Sat Jan 04, 2014 8:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The American Civil War, Day by Day 1864

January 5, 1864 Tuesday
President Lincoln suggested to Congress that bounties to volunteers be continued for at least a month and that the subject be reconsidered despite a resolution of Congress prohibiting the payment of the $300 ( http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/te ... oln7%3A208 ). The fighting continued to be of little significance, with skirmishes at Lawrence’s Mill, Tennessee and on the Pecos River near Fort Sumner, New Mexico Territory ( http://www.legendsofamerica.com/nm-fortsumner.html ).

Author:  nsimms [ Sun Jan 05, 2014 4:33 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The American Civil War, Day by Day 1864

January 6, 1864 Wednesday
Confederate guerrillas attacked the steamer Delta on the Mississippi River, one of numerous such incidents occurring on the Western rivers. Skirmishes took place at Flint Hill, Virginia and at Dalton, Georgia, both areas where the major armies remained at rest. Until near the end of the month Federal troops under Kit Carson ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kit_Carson ) operated against the Navajo Indians from Fort Canby, New Mexico Territory to the Canon de Chelly area. Many Navajos were sent to a reservation at Bosque Redondo in a sad condition.

President Lincoln answers the objection of Gov Thomas E. Bramlette (Ky.) to order of Gen Foster moving troops specifically raised for protection of Kentucky to Knoxville, presumably at direction of Gen Grant. "True, these troops are, in strict law, only to be removed by my order; but Gen Grant's judgment would be the highest incentive to me to make such order." ( http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/te ... oln7%3A212 )

Author:  nsimms [ Mon Jan 06, 2014 8:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The American Civil War, Day by Day 1864

January 7, 1864 Thursday
On Waccamaw Neck, South Carolina near Charleston, a lieutenant and a private of the Twenty-first Georgia Cavalry captured twenty-five Federals. Other fighting occurred at Martin’s Creek, Arkansas and Warrenton, Virginia. The Confederacy named William Preston as envoy to Mexico. Federal Judge Caleb Blood Smith, Secretary of the Interior in Lincoln’s Cabinet until December, 1862, died in Indianapolis, Indiana.

President Lincoln commuted the death sentence in the case of another deserter “because I am trying to evade the butchering business lately.” The day before, President Davis had suspended execution of a Virginia private.

Author:  nsimms [ Tue Jan 07, 2014 6:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The American Civil War, Day by Day 1864

January 8, 1864 Friday
In New Orleans pro-Union elements convened to consider reconstruction of Louisiana. David O. Dodd ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Owen_Dodd ), convicted as a Confederate spy, was executed in Little Rock, Arkansas in a case which aroused considerable agitation. In Richmond a reception honored John Hunt Morgan, the Western raider. President Davis wrote Gov Zebulon B. Vance of North Carolina regarding discontent in the state, “I cannot see how the mere material obstacles are to be surmounted” in order to bring about a cessation of hostilities. Repeating his desire for peace with independence, Davis added, “this struggle must continue until the enemy is beaten out of his vain confidence in our subjugation. Then and not until then will it be possible to treat of peace.”

Action occurred at Moorefield Junction, West Virginia. Federals bombarded Confederate works at the mouth of Caney Bayou, Texas Jan 8-9.

Author:  nsimms [ Wed Jan 08, 2014 7:49 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The American Civil War, Day by Day 1864

January 9, 1864 Saturday
President Davis warned his commanders in Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi of reports that Admiral Farragut was preparing to attack Mobile and attempt to pass the forts as he had at New Orleans. A skirmish at Terman’s Ferry, Kentucky was the only recorded military operation.

Author:  nsimms [ Thu Jan 09, 2014 8:12 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The American Civil War, Day by Day 1864

January 10, 1864 Sunday
Federal cavalry under William Sooy Smith ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Sooy_Smith ) operated from Memphis, Tennessee to Meridian, Mississippi until Jan 25, when they were finally driven back by Forrest and his men. Other action included a skirmish at Mossy Creek and a two-day Federal scout from near Dandridge to Clark’s Ferry, Tennessee; a skirmish at Loudoun Heights and a Federal scout to Sperryville, Virginia; plus skirmishing at Petersburg, West Virginia; and King’s River, Arkansas.

Off the south Atlantic coast the blockade was tighter than ever, with numerous blockade-runners captured by the Federals. But blockader U.S.S. Iron Age was lost off Lockwood’s Folly Inlet, South Carolina after it went aground and was bombarded from land ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Iron_Age_(1862) ).

President Lincoln authorizes and directs Gen Hitchcock to offer Gen Trimble, prisoner of war in Fort McHenry, Maryland in exchange for Maj [probably Harry] White, prisoner at Richmond ( http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/te ... oln7%3A234 ).

Author:  nsimms [ Fri Jan 10, 2014 6:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The American Civil War, Day by Day 1864

January 11, 1864 Monday
Sen John B Henderson of Missouri proposed a joint resolution in the U.S. Senate abolishing slavery throughout the United States by amendment (the Thirteenth) to the Constitution. Two blockade-runners were captured off Florida and two others forced ashore and burned off Lockwood’s Folly Inlet, North Carolina. Federals scouted near Lexington, and a two-day Union expedition operated from Memphis up the Little Tennessee River, Tennessee.

Author:  nsimms [ Sat Jan 11, 2014 6:55 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The American Civil War, Day by Day 1864

January 12, 1864 Tuesday
Skirmishing increased toward mid-January but still there was no large-scale fighting. Action took place near Mossy Creek, Tennessee; Marshall, Kentucky; Accotink, Ellis’ Ford and a Federal raid operated on Northern Neck, Virginia. A two-day affair occurred at Matamoros, Mexico, where two Mexican factions were warring and Federal troops were sent in to protect and remove the U.S. Consul, L. Pierce.

Author:  nsimms [ Sun Jan 12, 2014 8:57 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The American Civil War, Day by Day 1864

January 13, 1864 Wednesday
President Davis told Gen Joseph E. Johnston at Dalton, Georgia that for the army to fall back would be so detrimental, both militarily and politically, that “I trust you will not deem it necessary to adopt such a measure.” President Lincoln told Gen Banks at New Orleans to “proceed with all possible dispatch” in constructing a free state government for Louisiana ( http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/te ... oln7%3A246 ); he also urged Maj Gen Quincy A. Gillmore to cooperate in reconstructing a loyal government for Florida ( http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/te ... oln7%3A249 ).

Skirmishes erupted at Ragland Mills, Bath County, Kentucky; near Colliersville, Tennessee; near Ely’s Ford, Virginia; at Sevierville and Shulz’ Mill, Cosby Creek, Tennessee, Jan 13-14. A two-day Federal scout probed from Pine Bluff to Monticello, Arkansas.

Author:  nsimms [ Tue Jan 14, 2014 12:25 am ]
Post subject:  Re: The American Civil War, Day by Day 1864

January 14, 1864 Thursday
Watching affairs in the West, President Davis told Gen Johnston that, if necessary, troops should be sent to Mobile or north Mississippi. Johnston was to advise Davis as to the proper course. Fighting occurred at Dandridge and Middleton, Tennessee; Shoal Creek, Alabama; and Bollinger County of Mississippi. Union scouts operated from Collierville, Tennessee and to Baldwin’s Ferry, Big Black River, Mississippi.

Author:  nsimms [ Tue Jan 14, 2014 6:44 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The American Civil War, Day by Day 1864

January 15, 1864 Friday
Southern newspapers in January tried to build up Confederate spirits and gird the people for the struggle sure to come. President Lincoln paid more and more attention to reconstruction in individual states. Fighting was confined to a skirmish near Petersburg, West Virginia. There was Federal scouting in Jackson County, Missouri.

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